Alternative splicing of hepatitis B virus: A novel virus/host interaction altering liver immunity.

•Liver injuries disrupt alternate splicing machinery and increase HBV splicing events.•Liver immune recruitment is reduced in the presence of HBSP, an HBV splice-protein.•CCL2 produced by hepatocytes contributes to monocyte/macrophage recruitment.•CCL2 decrease by HBSP might promote HBV immune escape during liver pathogenesis.